Aiko Solar Energy Technology Co., Ltd (Aiko Solar) said it had achieved a production capacity of 4GW for PERC solar cells, while initially ramping its new production plant on schedule near Yiwu City, central Zhejiang province, China at the end of 2017. Image: Aiko Solar

China-based merchant solar cell producer Guangdong Aiko Solar Energy Technology Co., Ltd (Aiko Solar) said it had achieved a production capacity of 4GW for PERC solar cells, while initially ramping its new production plant on schedule near Yiwu City, central Zhejiang province, China at the end of 2017.

PV Tech had previously reported that Aiko Solar planned to become a major supplier of high-efficiency P-type mono PERC and bifacial cells to PV module manufacturers around the world after announcing major capacity expansion plans and new product introductions at SNEC 2017.

According to PV Tech’s Finlay Colville, mono cell production is expected to account for 49% of all cell production in 2018, and is expected to be the dominant technology used in the industry by 2019.

Aiko Solar noted that its high-efficiency PERC cells were able to achieve conversion efficiencies above 21.50%.

The company had announced in 2017 plans to expand cell capacity to 8GW in the near-term.